Red Wings' Tomas Holmstrom and other 'crease crashers' under scrutiny in playoffs

AP File PhotoThe Detroit Red Wings' Tomas Holmstrom said he won't be deterred by referees keeping a close watch on goaltender interference in the playoffs.GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The NHL has informed teams that referees will keep a close eye on goaltender interference in the playoffs.

That means Detroit Red Wings' net-front extraordinaire Tomas Holmstrom will be under even more scrutiny than usual in the postseason, starting in the first round against the Phoenix Coyotes and goalie Ilya Bryzgalov.

TSN's Darren Dreger wrote: "The NHL intends to watch Holmstrom and all 'crease crashers' closely, and Colin Campbell (league vice president of operations) suggests it's best to stay out of the blue paint to avoid a penalty."

Holmstrom has seen his share of goalie interference penalties and disallowed goals over the years. He is not one to be deterred, however.

"I do what I do and what happens out there you have to adjust to that," Holmstrom said before Game 1 on Wednesday at Jobing.com Arena. "(The Coyotes) are a good defensive group. I have to work hard to make a good screen. There's going to be some good battles around the net."

On Wednesday, Holmstrom scored a goal on a wrist shot from beyond the top of the faceoff circle that Ilya Bryzgalov misjudged and created a screen for Lidstrom’s goal.

Coyotes defenseman Mathieu Schneider, a former Red Wing, said there are two schools of thought on defending Holmstrom.

"Some teams like to leave him alone, just let him stand in front of the net. You try to box out in front of him, not let shots through," Schneider said. "Other teams try to get in his face and move him and create battles with him."

When he coached the Dallas Stars, Dave Tippett preferred the box-out option against Holmstrom, letting him be while concentrating on preventing the puck from reaching the net.

Tippett, in his first season with the Coyotes, would not tip his hand before the game.

"He's as close as you can get (to the goalie) a lot of times without getting himself in trouble," Tippett said. "But the skill that he has around him, the ability of those people to get pucks to the net, really helps him.''

Coyotes defenseman Ed Jovanovski, who likes to play physical and rough it up, suggested his team will combine both techniques to defend Holmstrom.

"Catch him early coming to the net, try to box him out," Jovanovski said. "Tougher said than done. You got to be on him all the time. Got to get body position on him."

Jovanovski said Holmstrom sets himself up "like a tripod" in front of the net.

"He's more concerned and focused on screening the goaltender," Jovanovski said. "Getting second and third opportunities is his next priority.

"Sometimes in the playoffs, you got to get a feel on how the refs are calling things. Definitely have to have some physicality on him or he's going to beat you."

Holmstrom was besieged by injuries the second half of last season and struggled in the playoffs, with just two goals in 23 games, none in the final 19. He rebounded this season, scoring 25 goals.

"There are some copycats, but no one does it quite like him," Schneider said. "If you can keep pucks away from the front of the net, blocking shots and keeping shots to the outside, that's how you nullify him. If you're going to give up shots down the middle of the ice, that's when he's most effective."

Holmstrom said it will be a challenge to screen the 6-foot-3 Bryzgalov.

"You can't really change anything, you got to do the same job," Holmstrom said. "Maybe once in a while you look over your shoulder to see where he's looking and maybe you can do a screen like that.

"They're a solid defensive group and they try to punish you around the net, make it hard to make a screen."

Odds and ends

Tippett, on Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard: "One thing a goalie has to do is prove yourself to your team. Until he proves it to his own teammates, that's when he becomes a legitimate player. The way he's played the second half of the season, you'd have to say he's proven himself to his teammates. He's not exactly a young rookie. He's put his time in."

Schneider, on the Red Wings' work ethic: "People don't give the Wings enough credit for being a hard-working team. You look at the skill level and everyone thinks they're going to beat you with fancy plays and puck movement, but at the end of the day, their skill players are their hardest workers. That's why there's been so much success there."